


Beyond the Twisted World Tree

by Ayekasong



Category: Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria
Genre: Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, F/M, Post-Canon, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-11-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:01:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 12,558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25958692
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ayekasong/pseuds/Ayekasong
Summary: Several years after the events of Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria, Midgard has been rebuilt, and humanity has begun to thrive again. But, history still haunts those who were reborn.
Relationships: Alicia/Rufus (Valkyrie Profile)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 2





	1. Premonitions

_The screaming laughter of a maniac rang out in the dark night._

The woman clad in purple armor skillfully wielded her polearm weapon as her raven hair danced against her face. Alexandria met the weapon with her rapier. One swung at the other, while her partner parried every attack directed at her. 

Together they fought, neither woman holding back her rage. 

Alexandria lunged at the warrior. Sensing her vulnerability, the warrior dematerialized into a pink orb, floating to the top of the stairs. Angrily, Alexandria ran up the stairs as the enemy ran down to meet her. Alexandria lunged, throwing her sword forward. To her amazement and horror, metal slid through flesh. The rapier pierced deep into the warrior's side. The armored woman's knees sagged as Alexandria hesitantly withdrew her sword.

“Now!” came a cry from behind a pillar.

A sorcerer materialized and cast a spell toward them as another sorcerer behind them did the same. The spells met in their battlefield, casting a circle on the ground beneath them. A violent blue light erupted around the warriors. Confused, Alexandria looked at the warrior, to see the image of a woman superimposed in a purple light behind her.

At that moment, something deep within Alexandria became aware of a horrifying change in her body. It was as though her insides were slipping away. Something was being stolen from her... something that was part of her very core. 

“No!!!!” Alexandria screamed as she shot up in bed. Beads of sweat trickled down her body, causing her nightgown to stick to her. Heavy pants escaped her lips as she focused on the room. “Oh,” she gasped. “Another dream.”

 _These dreams are going to be the death of me_ , she thought. They became more vivid every night. Sometimes they were recurring, sometimes they were different. But every time, the dreams seemed more and more real. It unnerved her, but Alexandria did not dare to tell a soul about them. She feared they would discover that something was wrong with her.

**

 _That woman in purple armor...she's been in a dream before_. Alexandria reflected upon her dream the night before as she strolled through town. She enjoyed traveling to the local market to buy fresh fruits and vegetables. It gave her a chance to do something mindless so that she didn't have to think about the dreams and how people would believe her to be crazy if she would ever tell a soul about them.

 _Who is she? Is she some sort of war general?_ Alexandria had to admit, the woman was quite beautiful, but every time she appeared in the dreams, a battle ensued. Alexandria didn't like to fight, not even in her dreams.

Nearly everyone in the small town of Coriander was out and about this sunny, warm morning. In the town square, children gathered around the town musician who was strumming a guitar and singing a popular song of legend.

_Once lived a princess fair and kind_

_Who harbored another soul in her mind._

_Though shunned by people of her land,_

_She was chosen by fate's hand_

_To save us all from a god's wrath,_

_She died and gave us a new path._

Alexandria smiled as she heard the children start to sing along. That had been her own favorite song as a child. The legend of this princess who fought off the gods helped her to believe that if she would endure her hardships, perhaps someday she would be a hero in someone's eyes.

After purchasing a basket full of produce, Alexandria headed back to her meager cottage. Tall grass and flowers surrounded the simplistic structure, so even though it was nothing fancy, Alexandria thought it was beautiful.

A young man with light brown hair and glasses was waiting for her in the doorway.

“Josef!” Alexandria exclaimed cheerfully. Quickly, she set her basket on the ground and ran to the door, throwing her arms around him in a friendly embrace. “Where have you been? I haven't seen you for months!”

“I was studying in Dipan,” came the reply. His gentle hands wrapped around her back to return the embrace.

Alexandria's heart leapt at the feeling of his arms around her. Josef had always been so reserved as a child. He preferred to sit and read his books rather than play with the children of the village. A hard working student by nature, Josef's dedication to his magical studies had earned him the respect of the village, and Midgard's mages began to take notice of him. Although his magical ability had not been quite as proficient as they would have liked, the magical community was eager to train anyone interested in their craft. Josef had advanced quickly in the magic arts, and the high mages of Dipan sought him out to train with them. The city's buildings had been rebuilt, but they desperately needed people to come and bring money and ideas back to the once wealthy land, so the opportunities for business and schooling were popping up rapidly.

At first, Josef only went once a month, but his visits to Dipan rapidly increased to every other week. Three months prior, he had begun to live in the once wealthy city, only returning to meager Coriander to study the vegetation in the area. 

Alexandria hated when Josef was gone. She had been patient, but became increasingly frustrated when his interest in her never developed into more than a friendship. Typically, when Josef spent time in Alexandria's presence, he was either nose-deep in a heavy book or observing Alexandria as she did her daily chores, as though she were a plant in the forest. At first she fantasized that he was reveling in her beauty, but as time went on, these “observations” made her slightly uncomfortable.

“Alexandria,” Josef interrupted her thoughts. “I have something I want to show you. Will you accompany me into the forest?” Josef smiled at her, extending his hand. Her heart began to race as she gently accepted it.


	2. Peace Disturbed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alexandria and Josef take off into the forest, and far away, a Valkyrie senses something amiss.

The sun beat down on Alexandria's back as Josef lead her deeper into the Ancient Forest. This place had terrified her as a child. Her friends told her stories of monsters that lurked amid the foggy depths. The townspeople maintained that the journey of the legendary princess had led her to the Ancient Forest. They claimed that many years ago the legendary princess from the famous folk song and her companions had ventured into the forest and been the first people to ever come back out alive. Something about that story intrigued Alexandria... perhaps it meant that the forest had been purified of the horrible creatures her friends spoke of. She hoped, anyway.

The reminder of that story had stirred up a long lost sense of fear in her heart. She gripped Josef's hand a little tighter. He looked down at her, a questioning look in his eyes. A blush spread across her face. “Um, I'm a little frightened,” she admitted with a smile. He returned her smile, and squeezed her hand in reassurance. 

He led her through the forest to a beautiful clearing. A gentle breeze tugged at her hair, allowing her golden tresses some freedom in the wind. The rays of the sun broke through the mist as though it were a piece of glass that had cracked where the light had touched it. This would be a gorgeous place for a proposal! Alexandria sighed longingly. A thought of fantasy crept into her mind. No way! Is he going to admit that he has feelings for me? She had feared that all of this time her affection had been unrequited. If her dream was coming true, she could finally have someone in her life that she could call family!

“Josef...” she whispered softly as he let go of her hand. Josef stepped backward, seemingly on unsteady feet. His breathing became heavy and labored as he struggled to maintain control of himself. 

Alexandria sensed the change in his demeanor. She reached out to place her hand gently on his shoulder. With a grunt, he shrugged it off violently. He looked up at her, but his expression was not one of love – or anything else Alexandria may have expected from him. His eyes were full of anger.

“J-Josef?” Alexandria stumbled back as a wave of panic shot through her. What in all of Midgard could have caused such a calm, peaceful man to be so angry?

Josef began to chant words that she did not understand. The gentle breeze that had played with Alexandria's hair became a howling wind that threatened to trample her as dark clouds gathered hurriedly in the sky around them. A crack of thunder exploded above them, and strange creatures started to take shape around Josef. A large wolf crawled to Josef and stopped in front of him, acknowledging him as his master. Two disturbances in the mist swirled around him. Seconds later, the mist cleared, a large flower creature formed out of the howling mist on joined them on Josef's left, while a horrid-looking fish creature stood on his right.

The wind continued to howl. Alexandria backed against the tree. Was he showing her his magic? Is that why he brought her out here? “What's happening, Josef?”

The menacing look he shot back at her sent chills throughout her entire body. “Stop calling me that name you damned woman!”

Alexandria gasped and pressed herself harder against the trunk of the tree. Josef was not here to profess love to her, not at all! Fear rolled through her body, paralyzing her. How could her childhood friend, this man she had such strong feelings for, be so angry with her?

Eyes full of hatred bore into her, threatening to drill into her soul. “You stole Lenneth from me! Finally, I will have my revenge upon you Alicia!”

Alicia. That name. Why had he called her that? Why did that name send a wave of terror through her entire being? 

Josef sneered at her. The terrified girl slid down the back of the tree trunk so that she sat on the ground, recoiled, and confused. Calmly, Josef whispered to his companions, “Kill her.”

**

A nagging feeling tugged at the back of her mind. Silmeria felt something amiss. 

Her senses turned her in the direction of Coriander. Someone was using ancient magic. It was not completely unnatural for some of the more powerful wizards in Midgard to know the ancient magic, but the fact that it came from the area of Coriander – the place that Lezard and Alicia lived in their reincarnated bodies – set her on edge.

Quickly, she teleported to Coriander to see what was happening.

All seemed normal in the little village. There had been rumors about the young magician from Coriander growing powerful in the ancient arts. Was she just being hypersensitive in light of these rumors?

A disturbance in the wind tore her attention away from the village and towards the Ancient Forest.

“Of course.” Without a second thought, she teleported to the forest.

Silmeria hovered just above the forest canopy. A woman's scream to the west directed her to the location of the disturbance. 

In a small clearing, a young sorcerer chanted spells in front of a young a young maiden. Upon closer inspection, she recognized that the monsters had been conjured, inferring that this was some sort of attack. The young magician's dusty blonde hair grew darker as the air around him became more and more disturbed. The young lady with golden tresses watched on, paralyzed in fear.

Silmeria sighed. “I dislike watching the death,” she muttered under her breath. “I wish I could just gather Einherjar after they have fallen.”

A sudden realization bolted into her head like lightning. She recognized both parties. A sensation of horror rose within her. Asgard's worst fear since the death of Odin had been realized.

Lezard had broken the seal on his memories.


	3. Lezard's Attack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lezard has broken the seal on his memories - how will the gods respond?

The wolf charged at her, and Alexandria instinctively jumped to the side. The wolf hit the tree head-on, stunning it momentarily. The fish creature saw its opening and struck at her with its harpoon. She fell and attempted to roll away from it, but the harpoon grazed her arm and then stabbed deep into the earth. Alexandria grabbed at the thick crimson line forming on her arm. She struggled to stand in the howling wind. The flower creature bumbled over, raising its huge leafy arm, aiming to strike her. The tough skin met her flesh with a sickening crack and Alexandria found herself on the ground once more. Unfortunately for the top-heavy flower, the blow also sent its own body hurling towards the ground.

“Ugh,” grunted Josef in disgust. “Pitiful monsters. Is it really so hard to kill a weak little girl? It seems that I must do the job myself.”

“Josef, stop!” screamed Alexandria as tears streamed down her cheeks. A deep purple bruise was forming on her left cheek, and the blood on her arm began oozing down towards her fingers. “Why are you doing this to me?”

Ignoring her, Josef began another incantation as a fiery orange aura formed around him. “In my hand the creator's sword that calls eternal sleep...” A circle of light formed on the ground around Alexandria, with her at the center. Ancient runes appeared in the light as though some invisible deity was carving them into the ground. “Honor our pact and hear my command!” Columns of fire struck into the earth, forming a circle around her. “Animate Earth!” screamed Josef. Three paths of fire raced towards her, ready to destroy her. 

She closed her eyes, waiting for the blast to come and send her into oblivion.

The deafening sound enveloped her. But she felt no pain. Instead, she felt arms around her waist and the sensation of flying through the air. Is this what death felt like? Slowly, she opened her eyes. 

A woman with golden hair similar to her own held Alexandria in her arms. The woman looked regal – like a seasoned warrior. The orange light from the blast struck her purple armor, reflecting its shine up into the warrior's face giving her an ethereal glow, even as glowing chunks of earth and burning embers fell around them. The warrior set her down at the edge of the clearing. The wolf, which had regained its ability to move lunged at the warrior. She struck it down effortlessly and the corpse of the fallen enemy vanished into thin air. 

“Silmeria! No!” Josef cried out. 

Alexandria watched, her mind clouded and unable to comprehend, as the warrior Josef referred to as Silmeria struck down his other two companions. Josef fell to his knees, cowering, as the warrior approached him next. 

The warrior pointed her sword at Josef's neck. “Lezard Valeth!” she stated with an air of authority in her voice. “I know not how you managed to break the seal on your memories. But since you have, you surely must know of your past transgressions. I should strike you down right here and now.”

The man she called Lezard cowered on the ground as she prepared her blade for the kill. The Valkyrie held the blade in front of her torso, hesitating. Instead of striking, she sheathed the mighty weapon. “But since I have been forbidden to interfere with the lives of the people in this town, and your death would impact them significantly, I will spare your life today. But know this; you will be under the watch of every god in Asgard. We will see through your actions. Be warned, any attempt to attack the gods will result in your demise. I will personally kill you every time you are reborn until you are removed from the cycle of rebirth altogether.”

Lezard cursed under his breath. “But Lenneth...”

“If you wish to win Lenneth's heart,” interrupted Silmeria, “I suggest you find a different way to do so. Obviously your past attempts have not worked.” The ice in her voice nearly materialized in the air. Lezard's shoulders fell at the realization that she was right.

“Furthermore, you will not harm Alicia. This is a divine order, and we will interpret any attempt to harm her as defiance. Now leave this place.”

Defeated, Lezard slumped until his head lay on the ground. He balled up his fists and let out an anguished cry. He struck the earth with his fists twice as he howled in the agony of defeat. After several tense moments, he gathered himself and stood slowly, looking the Valkyrie in the eye, sneering. “As you wish, Lady Silmeria Valkyrie.” He turned to leave the clearing, heading in the direction of Coriander. Silmeria watched him go. When he was at a safe distance, she turned to look at Alexandria.

Silmeria's eyes pierced through Alexandria's. Again, Alexandria felt something stir within her soul. She closed her eyes as her body trembled and her blood sent prickling sensations through her veins. Those things she saw in her dreams... they were all coming back again. The blood, the castle, the place full of stars. The woman in white who held a giant sword, the frightening black-haired woman and her heavy warrior companion. Why? Why was she seeing all of these things now? 

A terrified cry escaped her lips and she collapsed on the ground, falling into a deep sleep.

**

It never took long, but today her trip back to the palace had never seemed longer. She gently landed just past the Rainbow Bridge, but only paused to frown at how her racing mind prevented her from landing closer to the palace. The beauty of the meadow often drew her attention for a period of time, but today it was just a nuisance, another obstacle in her path.

Her legs burned as she sprinted toward her destination, but today even her running speed was not good enough. After what seemed a full human lifetime, she finally opened the doors of Valhalla. Ignoring the greetings of the Einherjar, the determined Valkyrie stormed to the place she knew Lord Rufus would be. Her news was too important to deal with formalities.

Silmeria threw open the doors to the throne room. 

Rufus looked up from his throne to see who had entered the hall without warning. Recognizing the Valkyrie, his back stiffened.

Freya, who had been briefing Rufus on those who sought audience with him that day, was very displeased. “Silmeria! You may have been reborn recently, but surely your entire memory has not escaped you? We have rules here! You must make an appointment if you wish to see Lord -”

“Lezard Valeth has broken the seal on his memories,” the Valkyrie interrupted. “He attacked the reincarnation of Alicia, seeking retribution for his lost fight at the top of his tower. I sensed his magic and I intervened, warning him that any attempts to repeat his previous mistakes will result in divine retribution.”

Freya's jaw nearly hit the floor. Rufus turned so pale that he resembled the stones statues in the castles of Midgard. 

Freya was the first to regain her composure. “How did he manage to break the seal on his memories?” she asked. “Only Lord Rufus and I are capable of breaking a memory seal!”

Silmeria shook her head slowly. “I do not know. In the time I have been roaming Midgard, he never appeared to have any slight recognition of his past life.”

“This is bad news,” Rufus stated grimly. “When we discovered that Lezard had been reborn, we knew that sealing off his memories was the only way to prevent a repeat of the past. The fact that he's managed to find a way to break that seal shows that he has already become powerful...”

Freya wrung her hands. “But how would he even know that his memories were sealed?”

“Some human magicians claim to be able to read the past lives of others. I have never had need to verify their claims by using my own reading abilities,” Silmeria stated, “but if Lezard encountered any of these individuals, it may be possible that he was alerted to the seal...”

“It doesn't do us much good to speculate at this point,” Rufus interjected. “Regardless of how he came to know about the seal, he has broken it and realized who he is.” He folded his hands and closed his eyes, taking a silent moment to consider the circumstances. “Silmeria, I entrust this matter to you. Watch Lezard's actions. If he appears to be any threat to Asgard or Midgard at all, strike him down. We cannot have a repeat of his offenses.”

“My Lord, would it not be best to simply eliminate him now? If he is forced back into the cycle of rebirth, we can reseal his memories.” Freya tucked a golden lock behind her ear.

“I understand your concern as he is probably the biggest threat to Asgard that currently exists. But if he has already been able to break the seal, there is nothing to ensure that he won't do it again the next time he is reborn.” Rufus rubbed his temples. “And don't forget that when he was defeated, the Valkyrie foretold that he would pay for his sins with his soul. For now, let's see what happens.”

Freya frowned. “As you wish, my Lord. But if he harms anyone or shows intentions of becoming a god again, I must insist that he be destroyed.”

“Agreed,” Silmeria nodded. “I will return to Midgard for the time being. If anything else is amiss, I will inform you and Lady Freya immediately.” Silmeria turned with militant accuracy and marched herself out of the hall.

An eerie silence filled the hall. Both gods were lost in their own thoughts. The impact of Lezard's memory returning could hold grave consequences for Asgard. Would he come after them again? Was Silmeria's warning enough to hold him at bay? Was allowing him to live a good decision? Breaking out of her reverie, Freya ended the silence first. “You hope that she regains her memories as well, do you not?”

Rufus snapped out of his own thoughts. When his mind had cleared and he understood what she was asking, Rufus' head dropped. Softly he replied, “Of course I do. I want nothing more than to have Alicia back.” Taking a deep breath, he lifted his head back up. “But she died so that the world could be peaceful again. I would not deny her that life she wanted, not for anything. That's why we agreed to seal off her memories...so that she wouldn't have to remember the pain and violence of that life...” Rufus sighed. “I made my peace with that a long time ago. Her happiness is more important than my own selfish desires.”

Freya shifted uncomfortably, unsure of how to respond. If her lover had been reborn and remembered his past, she would have taken Lord Odin back in a heartbeat if given the chance. She would probably have helped him break the memory seal herself. It was unsettling that Rufus, who had lost the object of his affection just as she had, could think sacrificing his own happiness for the sake of the life Alicia wanted was a good choice. The fact that Odin was not coming back still stabbed at her heart. Once in a while, someone would do something or say something that would remind her of Odin, and her emotional state would quickly deteriorate. Ashamed of her feelings, Freya would retire to her room where she could privately release some of her despair. Surely Rufus must feel the same pain she felt. Feeling loved again would get rid of his pain, and Freya found it downright ridiculous that he would not want Alicia to remember him.

When Rufus had returned from that new world with Gungnir in hand, Freya had been outraged. That lowly archer was holding the weapon of her beloved, and that could only mean that Odin had died along with the blaspheming magician from Dipan. Her fury drove her to battle Rufus. Despite his protests, she angrily attacked him, refusing to accept that Odin was gone. Freya's rage impeded her ability to fight, and in the end Rufus pinned her, effectively winning the fight without harming the goddess. The humiliation of defeat pushed Freya's emotion over the edge, and she had lost her composure, screaming, crying, and begging for someone to wake her from the nightmare.

For the first two years, she hated Rufus. She refused to help him learn his new duties as King of the Gods. Anytime he made a mistake, she delighted in pointing it out to everyone who would listen. The two frequently had bitter arguments that lasted for days. Einherjar made a point to make themselves scarce for fear of incurring the wrath of either god. The bitter rivalry raged on, until finally, during a particularly tense argument about whether or not Rufus was fit to be a god, the former archer admitted to the anguish he still felt at losing Alicia, and that he wanted to make the Midgard a better place in honor of her memory. Knowing the pain of losing love all too well, Freya let down her guard, and shared her own agony. This newfound common ground gave Freya a new respect for Rufus. He had endured all of her tormenting while secretly hiding his own excruciation. Perhaps she would give him a chance after all. 

The new understanding between them alleviated much of the tension in Asgard. Rufus and Freya became sort of a team, working together to rebuild the world that Lezard had nearly destroyed. Freya had never really considered anyone a friend, but Rufus was beginning to earn this title with her.

Rufus slapped his thighs, snapping her back to the present. “So now, which of the elven kings wishes to see me today?”

Freya shifted through her papers, relieved to get back to the topic at hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I still can't believe this fanfic is a decade old, lol. I hope you're enjoying it!


	4. Regret

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lezard was unsuccessful in killing Alexandria. What is in store for them next?

A drop of rain on her cheek was the first thing to stir her. Alexandria's eyes fluttered open and she found herself staring up at dark gray rainclouds, threatening to burst open at any moment. 

Where am I?

Alexandria stood slowly as the events of the past few hours came back to her. I'm in the forest. Josef brought me here.

Josef. He had tried to kill her. That woman had saved her.

That woman... remembering her sent chills back up Alexandria's spine. She rubbed her arms, trying to get rid of that chill. She seems so familiar. But I don't remember seeing her before...

A gentle rain began to fall as Alexandria started walking absentmindedly out of the forest. What the hell is going on? Why do I keep seeing these things? That woman had called Josef by the name “Lezard.” Josef had called her “Alicia.” The name was like a distant memory. It was familiar to her, but she could not recall why. Alexandria felt like she was losing her grip on her sanity.

She continued to walk slowly, pausing briefly when Coriander came into view. Alexandria squared her shoulders. I will forget the whole thing. Perhaps it was nothing more than a dream. Yes, all of these dreams I keep having... they are nothing more than just dreams. If she forgot everything, maybe it would all just work itself out. Resolved to keep herself sane by ignoring these dreams, she headed back to her home.

**

“HHHrrraaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!” shouted Lezard, knocking books off of his nightstand. The room at least, would feel his wrath. He ripped his curtains off of the window, throwing them into a disheveled pile on the floor. 

“You ruined everything, Silmeria!” Anger boiled up inside of him a second time as he remembered the Valkyrie snatching Alicia away from the grasp of his spell. Fate seemed to revel in his failures...failure to earn Lenneth's love, failure to become one with her, and failure to take revenge on the girl who had destroyed his world. Lezard threw his head back and let out a mournful scream. “Why have you cursed me?”

He grabbed a glass flask from his desk and hurled it at the door. The shattering glass satisfied him a little. He picked up another and hurled it at the same spot. The shards of glass fell, reminding him of how the crystal containing Lenneth shattered when those fools defeated him in his world.

“Damn it,” he whispered, sinking onto the small bed in the corner. Lezard buried his face in his hands. Hot tears escaped his eyes. He deserved this, he knew. The gods would be happy to have him completely tormented in this life. The beautiful Lenneth Valkyrie couldn't be his to love. If she had been reborn, she surely hated him for imprisoning her and ultimately causing her death as well as that of her sisters. Becoming a god wouldn't help him win her, either. He had tried that in the past life. While he might not have had the most fantastic grip on sanity, he was intelligent enough to recognize that his past failures proved he couldn't force her to love him. As the Valkyrie being had told him before he had died, nothing can rule another's heart.

Lezard let out a choked sob. Life without hope of Lenneth's love was worthless. Lezard threw himself backward onto the bed. If he could not have her love, he would rather just lay here until he died. Yes, the gods would have no problem with him then. No longer would fate force him to suffer. He would just die, and quietly fade out of their watchful eyes.

He closed his eyes, welcoming sleep. If all went as he hoped, he would just sleep until he never woke up again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since this was such a short chapter, I'll try to get the next one up quickly! I'm trying to upload what I have every couple of days, and it also occurred to me that I never edited the ending - so, I need to get to work!


	5. Guilt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rufus reflects on what has happened, while Alexandria grows more frustrated with her predicament.

“Damn it!” Rufus cursed as he slammed a fist against his bedroom door.

Lezard had broken the seal. He threatened Alicia's new, peaceful life. Rufus wanted nothing more than to throttle the life out of the magician for killing Alicia the first time. If he so much as harmed a hair on her head, he would use Lezard as target practice in the Asgard shooting range.

_What the hell caused him to know about the seal? How the hell did he gain enough power to break it?_ Rufus banged his fist on the door again in frustration. 

And yet, despite his anger, Rufus was secretly glad. If Lezard could find a way to remember the past, Alicia could, too. She could remember...him.

The guilt for that happiness rapidly set in. Alicia was living in the world she wanted! How could he be so selfish to wish that burden upon her? Besides... even if she did remember him and his feelings for her... they couldn't be together. She was human, and couldn't come to Asgard, and he couldn't just leave to go visit her without upsetting the world of the gods he had worked so diligently to restore. It would not do for him singlehandedly to bring about Ragnarok in pursuit of his own selfish desires.

Rufus paced in his room. It had taken him many years and a great deal of emotional strength to make peace with the fact that they could never be together. Now here comes Lezard and his magic bringing _hope,_ of all things, that Alicia might remember him someday.

He sighed and sank onto his bed. He had worked so hard and done so much to create this world of peace for her. He had allowed all three Valkyries to be reborn. Surprisingly, this had been a popular move among the gods. They felt that having so many Valkyries would increase the number of Einherjar in Valhalla, which would restore security to the damaged realm. However, it was not Rufus' intention to have all three of them hunting for souls. Asgard had been damaged heavily and a tremendous amount of work still needed to be done. The Aesir helped where they could, but they had their own duties to attend to and their own fires to put out. It made no sense to force the sisters to sleep when there was so much work to be done. Three more gods to help would alleviate some of the burden. 

Once summoned, the sisters had important tasks assigned to them. The soul of the future Lenneth, the Creator, merged with her counterpart of the current time, allowing the re-awakened Valkyrie to maintain her creation power. She was invaluable in restoring damage, and therefore, her main task became restoring the realms. Because of the massive loss of Einherjar, it became Hrist's duty to thoroughly train the few that came to Asgard in case of an attempted attack. The vulnerability of Valhalla might prove attractive those who were power-hungry. Silmeria's primary duty was to patrol Midgard, primarily for Einherjar collection, but also to assist in the human realm where necessary. As the humans were being reborn and rebuilding their world, she had to ensure that nothing that would reduce the small population occurred until it could grow to a reasonable size. Some of the gods insisted that the Valkyries should all be gathering souls, but for the most part, the gods were impressed with Rufus' decision and liked the increased presence of the warriors.

The Valkyries retained their memories of the past life surprisingly well. For that, Rufus was thankful, for they all understood the need for their duties. Though it had pained him to do so, he insisted that Silmeria be the Valkyrie to wander Midgard for the time being. She had been the sister closest to the humans, so he decided that she would have the most insight as to how Midgard should operate, what activity should be avoided, and how she could best disguise herself if it was necessary to directly assist the humans.

It had been good for Rufus' spirits to send Silmeria outside of Asgard. Every time he saw her, he was reminded of Alicia, and that never failed to put him in a foul mood. It had been nice to get to know Hrist and Lenneth a little better as well.

“Alicia....” Her name soothed him as the sweet word ran over his lips. Rufus ran his hands down his face. Even the power of a god wasn't enough to solve the complex problems of the heart.

**

Alexandria moaned painfully in her sleep. Dreams never helped her get rest, and usually initiated a headache. People appeared to her, and they all seemed familiar, but she could never recall who they were. She often woke up from the dreams expecting the people to greet her.

The dreams were typically quite violent. As a child, they frightened her. But in time, she grew used to the bloodshed.

Tonight's dream was particularly violent. A silky white dress hugged her curves. The upper half of her body was clad in purple and silver armor. In her right hand, she carried a heavy crystalline blade. Immense strength flowed through her body, preparing her to strike down her opponent. The wind parted her silky tresses, giving her a full view of this strange battlefield. Stars surrounded her, whirling in circles. Alexandria looked across the battlefield to size up her opponent. To her shock and horror, she discovered that it was Josef who opposed her.

No, not Josef. That man who Josef claimed to be. Lezard. Alexandria lunged at him, wheeling her enormous blade into his shoulder. Her comrades tried in vain to attack, but they merely scraped Lezard. The battle raged, and it became apparent that the only one who could harm Lezard was Alexandria. Every attack Lezard threw at them left her comrades in serious need of recovery.

The battle was slow, but in the end, Alexandria remained victorious. Lezard lay face up on the battlefield, defeated. Slowly, the starry field faded away to a beautiful room coated in silver.

Refusing to accept his defeat, Lezard got to his knees. “Lenneth's spirit... Lenneth's soul...” he stood, limping towards Alexandria. “It all belongs to me!” Raving like a madman, he loomed dangerously close to Alexandria. “Now die you damned human!” Lezard ran his weapon into Alexandria's midsection.

To her surprise, there was no pain. She barely even flinched. Lezard fell to the ground, completely spent. “A soul,” Alexandria replied, “is something no other can posess.”

“A god is not as almighty as I expected,” Lezard admitted. His form began to dissolve in a blue light. Alexandria spoke a few more words to him, words that she could not hear in her dream state. When Lezard was completely gone, she too, allowed herself to succumb to death.

But something stopped her from just fading. She turned, remembering that her companions were still present. A tall young man with long green hair stared at her, eyes pleading. She kissed the ring on her hand and held it up in a gesture of farewell. The young man ran to her, but she saw no more as the world around her disappeared, revealing only darkness.

Alexandria sat up in bed. Sweat once again caused her nightgown to cling to her body. She was tired of waking up this way. Sleep was more exhausting than being awake.

The look she had seen on the man in her dream unnerved her more than anything else she had seen in her life. His eyes had begged her not to leave, and yet, she had left him anyway. The worst part was that he was disturbingly familiar. Her raging mind seemed to insist that she had seen him before when she was young. He had helped her up when she was playing tag with some of her friends. Josef, of course, had been too busy reading to notice she had even fallen. As she was running back toward her friends, something urged her to turn around and look at him again. When she did, he was gone.

She had forgotten all about that until now. She couldn't really be crazy if people she had seen before were appearing in these dreams.

_Could these dreams be memories of a past life, like the one Josef had?_ She pondered.

_I'm tired of not sleeping. I'm tired of thinking I'm crazy. This has to stop._ But how? How could she stop it?

_Of course_. _Lezard_. Alexandria balled up her fists. _He called me by a different name. He knows me from this past life. If he could break the seal on his own memories, he can break mine as well._

Alexandria climbed out of bed, feeling around for her hooded robe. Her hand found the soft fabric and she wrapped it around herself throwing the hood over her head. She would go to his house and ask him to help her. That woman in the forest had ordered him not to harm her, so he would obey, right? Alexandria resolved that she didn't care. He would either help her or kill her, and either way she would no longer be tormented with dreams that made her feel she was insane.


	6. A Decision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alexandria faces Lezard.

_Bang._

Lezard opened his eyes sluggishly. Realizing that it must be sometime in the middle of the night, he rolled over onto his stomach, intending to drift back into a dreamless sleep.

_Bang._

The noise that had originally roused him from his sleep sounded again. He sat up, trying to determine the source of the noise.

_Bang. Bang._

Someone was at the door. _Who in all of Midgard could be knocking on my door at this hour?_ Without bothering to check his appearance, Lezard descended his dark, squeaky staircase to answer the door.

“Josef? I mean...Lezard? Lezard, please answer!” He recognized the owner of that voice. It was Alicia. Or rather, it was Alexandria. He hesitated at the bottom of the staircase. What could she possibly want? Lezard mused that she wanted to torture him with memories of his mistakes.

He turned the knob, allowing the door to creak open. Alexandria peered in and gasped at the man that stared back at her. He was wearing the same clothes as he had during their earlier encounter that day. His hair was a mess, his glasses were tilted to the right, and his eyes appeared puffy. He looked ill and desperately needed a shave.

“What do you want?” he muttered.

Alexandria took a step back. “I, um...” she shuffled her feet. “Can I come in? It's kind of cold out here.”

Lezard snickered. “You'd come into the house of a man who just tried to kill you?”

Alexandria shot him a dark look. “You wouldn't touch me now. That woman said the gods were watching you.”

Lezard laughed bitterly. “Yes, they would love to have a reason to kill me, wouldn't they? Fine, come in.”

She cautiously stepped through the doorway. Lezard's home was not exactly welcoming. Blue-gray walls surrounded them on all four sides and the ceiling was decorated with cobwebs. Tables and chairs were coated with a thick layer of dust. Every floorboard creaked, giving the house a haunted feel. It appeared as though his furniture had suffered some of his anger and now lay in pieces on the floor. Books were torn off of their shelves, circles of shattered glass surrounded the tables, and curtains lay on the floor before the windows they once adorned.

Alexandria frowned. No wonder Lezard was such an unhappy man. Josef's parents had died in an attack by monsters while traveling between Coriander and Villnore. He had lived on his own for many years, but she had never suspected that he lived in such dismal conditions. She imagined she would have a difficult time finding cheerful thoughts in a place like this.

“Why did you come here?” Lezard asked her. “What would you be doing awake so late?”

Alexandria turned to face him, keeping her eyes on a hole in the wooden floor. “I've always had dreams. They show me things – things an ordinary girl like me wouldn't even dream of. At first, they only happened once in a while. But lately... lately they have been happening every night. The dreams seemed so real, as if they were things that had happened to me before, but I didn't recognize any of the people. In my waking moments, I would see things that would trigger a strange feeling. I thought I was going crazy.

“Then today... you called me by a name. It scared me. Then that woman that you called 'Silmeria' looked at me and I had visions of people and things I'd seen in my dreams. Then tonight, I had a dream that confused me even more. In the dream, I was myself, but not myself. I was strong, and I was fighting against you. I won the battle, but then you stabbed me with your weapon. We both died.” Alexandria rubbed her arms gently.

Lezard tensed, balling up his fists. “If you just came here to remind me of my past failures, then I suggest you leave before I violate Silmeria's order.”

“So these _are_ more than just dreams...” she whispered. Alexandria placed her hands on her chest, as if to still her racing heart.

Lezard relaxed, and let out an annoyed sigh. “Yes, you're dreaming about things that happened in the past. _Our_ past.” He pushed his glasses back on his nose, simultaneously correcting their tilt. “Why did you come here in the middle of the night just to ask me that? Surely you knew.”

“No, I didn't know!” Alexandria snapped. Surprised by her sudden outburst, Lezard stepped backwards and grabbed onto the staircase railing. “I had no idea! I thought I was just crazy and I was afraid to tell anyone!” He became aware of the moisture building up her in blue eyes. 

“Alright, alright, so you didn't know. That is no reason to get so upset. I guess I was just lucky that I figured it out. It's why I spent so much time studying magic. I was hoping to find a way to remember.” Lezard sank down to sit on the bottom stair.

“How do I do it? How do I break the seal on my memories?”

Lezard looked up at her. “You have to perform an ancient incantation. It has to be done by someone who has exceptionally strong magical ability. Not just anyone can do it. The seal is supposed to be so powerful that humans cannot break it. It is supposed to be so strong that only two specific gods can break it.”

“So then, you must be a powerful magician!” Alexandria's eyes widened in awe. 

“Not really.” Lezard brushed some lint off of his sleeve. Alexandria's face fell. “Not like I used to be, anyway. You and I are special cases. The seals on our memories started to crack on their own. I suspect it is because of the impact our past lives had on our souls. After all, I was a god temporarily and you housed the spirit of a Valkyrie within you for most of your life.”

Alexandria stiffened. “I did what?” she asked in shock. 

Lezard shifted uncomfortably. “I guess you have not remembered that yet.” Alexandria shook her head quickly. He sighed, leaning back on the staircase.

Alexandria carefully approached him. “Help me break the seal on my memories. I'm tired of being constantly confused and frustrated by these dreams and these weird feelings I have. I want to know what I did in my past life that was so powerful I can't escape it even in this one. Please help me, Lezard.”

The sorcerer raised an eyebrow at her. “Absolutely not.”

She was taken aback. “What? Why not?”

“You heard what Silmeria said to me. They could interpret that as an attempt at hurting you.”

“How on earth would that be hurting me? I'm _asking_ you to help me!” she retorted with anger.

It was Lezard's turn to be angry. His facial features became hard and cold. “Alexandria... you have no idea what kind of life you had in the past do you? You saw your father killed before your very eyes. Your mother killed herself right after that. Do you really want to remember that? How about the repeated betrayal of people you thought were friends? Is it really worth remembering how they hurt you?” Alexandria looked down at the floor again. Lezard's gaze softened. “I've found that remembering the past makes the present hurt much worse.”

A long silence passed between them. Alexandria approached Lezard gently and slowly sat down next to him on the staircase. Softly she said, “What has happened in the past cannot be changed. I know that it might hurt to remember these things. But I have this sense of urgency in my heart – like I left behind people who cared about me. I don't want them to suffer either. At least if I can stop all of this confusion within my soul, I can be at peace during the night. Please Lezard, I want my life to have a little clarity.”

He took a minute to consider this. “Are you really sure that is what you want?”

Alexandria nodded. “I also think that this Lenneth woman that you like would be glad to see you trying to help someone.”

Lezard gave her a sideways glance. “It is true that I am going to need to prove myself to Lenneth if I ever hope to earn her forgiveness.” Alexandria smiled at him. “Alright then. I will perform the spell. I cannot do it here, though. The townspeople might hear the noise, and it could cause too much of a stir. We will go back into the Ancient Forest.”

“I know your intentions this time, so I can trust you,” Alexandria added with a smirk.

Lezard rolled his eyes. “Give me a few minutes to clean up a bit. I didn't see a reason to care before...” he admitted with a bit of embarrassment.


	7. Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alexandria and Lezard venture into the forest together.

The magician and the young girl meandered through the Ancient Forest until they found a suitable clearing. When Lezard was satisfied that they were far enough away that no one would hear his incantation, he asked Alexandria to stop.

“Are you ready?” he inquired.

“Yes.” Alexandria squared her shoulders, appearing as brave as the moment before she became the vessel for the Valkyrie sisters. “Will it hurt?”

“No, but the speed at which the memories come back may cause you to get sick to your stomach.” Lezard adjusted his glasses and smoothed out his shirt. “Everything may not come back right away. There are some things you will remember as time goes on. The most important things will be there, though.”

“Okay.” Alexandria closed her eyes. “I'm ready.”

Lezard lifted his right arm and touched his index and middle fingers to Alexandria's forehead. A soft white glow emanated from his fingers as he began the incantation. “Earth, wind, fire, and light, hear my command!” A strong wind surrounded them, spinning in circles, threatening to engulf anything that dared to touch it. It became more violent and it began to howl and moan as though wind could feel pain. Tiny lights appeared in the growing maelstorm while a purple glow surrounded Alexandria. “A strong soul cannot be bound by this seal.” Alexandria's heart began to race, her body anticipating the imminent liberation of her mind. The seal on her mind appeared as a circular blue light on her forehead. “Release this mind from the prison of amnesia and demolish the chains that bind it. Awakening Ignition!” The circle on her forehead cracked and shattered into thousands of pieces that dissolved into the howling maelstorm.

With a small cry, the girl fell to her knees. Memories flooded Alexandria's mind. That woman, Silmera, was a Valkyrie. She had shared her body with the Valkyrie until she was ripped away during the Soverign's Rite to be absorbed by Lezard. The black-haired woman was Hrist Valkyrie and her companion, Angrim. She had traveled with them, searching for the Dragon Orb, but they betrayed her. In the end, they joined her again. She had become a Valkyrie herself and defeated Lezard. Lezard stabbed her with Gungnir and she died, her soul being sent into the cycle of rebirth along with all three Valkyries. Before she died, she had turned to her companions, Angrim, Brahms, and Rufus. 

Rufus! That green haired man was Rufus! And she had left him alone after all they had been through! Odin had tried to kill them both. Hrist and Angrim killed her father, the King of Dipan. Dipan castle had been her home once. She was a princess.

Alicia.

The howling maelstrom fizzled out and Lezard stood completely still as he saw the girl writhe around on the ground, grappling with the return of her memories. He held his breath, fearing she would attempt to fight him when she came to. Alicia was rather skilled with a sword, and although she was currently unarmed, he didn't feel like sustaining a few blows to the face.

After several agonizing minutes, the girl calmed and lay still on her back, breathing heavily and sweating profusely, but finally resting. Lezard knelt beside her, extending his hand to feel her forehead. Her eyes fluttered open. He hesitated, wary of her reaction.

“Lezard?” she whispered through labored breaths.

He nodded. She smiled at him. “Thank you.”

Lezard stood back up, and helped the exhausted girl to her feet. “It's so overwhelming,” she remarked. 

“You should try and get some sleep for now. It's a draining experience.” He paused, realizing that a heavy scent had come into the clearing. “Do you smell that?”

Alicia sniffed the air. “Yes. It smells like something is burning.”

They looked to the sky and saw an orange glow coming from the direction of Coriander.

The village was burning.


	8. Complications

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Silmeria gets Lezard and Alicia up to speed.

Silmeria cursed under her breath as she felt the distortions of magic near Coriander again. She had been lurking nearby ever since the incident with Lezard. It didn't make sense. When he had gone to bed, she had seen no intention of him using magic, and yet here she was a few hours later searching for him to find out what sort of havoc he had caused by using the two spells.

She teleported into the village and her nose was instantly assaulted with the sickening smell of burning homes. “Shit,” she muttered. She attended to other things for a mere matter of hours and suddenly the village became an inferno. She should have killed the wizard when she had the chance.

Villagers poured out onto the streets. It seemed that no building had been spared. Mothers clutched their children while fathers and shopkeepers desperately tried to save anything they could from the blazing fire.

Movement on the outskirts of the town caught Silmeria's eye. Sure enough, Lezard appeared, dragging a tired-looking Alicia. _At least he hasn't visibly harmed her_ , Silmeria thought with some relief. She took off, barreling at them. 

Lezard noticed the form coming at them too late. It hit him with a blow so powerful, that it sent Alicia rolling to the side while he was pinned forcefully on the ground.

Silmeria stood up and unsheathed her sword, aiming it at his prone from. “What did you do?” she accused murderously. “I told you we would be watching. Did you really think I wouldn't take notice of you destroying an entire town?”

Comprehension registered in Lezard's eyes. “You think I did this? When we left the town, it was completely quiet! There was no fire.”

Rage burned within Silmeria. “ _We?_ You took her into the forest alone?” The Valkyrie moved the sword dangerously close to his throat. “If you ruined her innocence, so help me...”

“N-No!” shouted Lezard in protest. “I did nothing of the sort! I didn't place my hands on Alicia except for when I cast the spell...”

“So you _admit_ that you used magic, and you used it on her! I should have known better than to spare your life once you broke the seal on your memories. Now you've attempted harm on her and destroyed this village. I will not make the mistake again. You will die now.” 

“Silmeria, stop!” Alicia stood up and walked toward them. “It's true, Lezard cast magic upon me, but because I asked him to!”

Silmeria arched an eyebrow at her questioningly. “You _wanted_ this scum to hurt you?”

Alicia shook her head furiously. “He didn't hurt me. I asked him to break the seal on my memories.”

Silmeria's eyes grew wide, realizing what the girl was telling her. “He-he wouldn't even do it at first!” Alicia stammered. Silmeria lowered her weapon.

“Alicia...” the Valkyrie stared in disbelief. “You...”

“Now please! Why is the village burning? What happened?” Alicia begged for some insight from the goddess.

“You mean Lezard did not do this?” Silmeria seemed surprised.

“No, the only spell I cast tonight was the one to release the seal on her memories. I wouldn't be stupid enough to set a whole town on fire when a Valkyrie just threatened me earlier in the day. Perhaps I bordered on the brink of insanity in my past life, but I assure you I am of a more sound mind in this one.”

Somehow, Silmeria doubted that. “Then there is more danger in Midgard than I realized. I felt the magic from two spells tonight, both cast from ancient knowledge.”

“But who could have done this? Who would want to harm the people of Coriander?” questioned Alicia. “The place I have lived in this life...it's completely gone.” The girl looked upon the scene sadly. It seemed as though her life always had an element of tragedy to it. She had lost everything in her past life. In this life, her mother had died shortly after giving birth to her – something that her father never let her forget. Her father hated her, and although he never raised a hand to her, he verbally abused her on a constant basis. On her 13th birthday, Alexandria had confessed to her father that she had strange, violent dreams that seemed real. As though he hadn't heard her, he told her that he was going to buy food from a local farmer. He never returned, leaving her to fend for herself. And now her modest cabin was gone. Would she ever know what it was like to have a family? A home?

Silmeria broke Alicia out of her reverie. “We need to find a safe place to hide. I have an ominous feeling that the two of you are the reason that this place was targeted. Put up your hoods, I don't want either of you recognized.” Lezard and Alicia obeyed the Valkyrie's command and followed her deep into the Eastern mountains.

* * *

The trio traveled through the forest until the sun began to peek over the horizon. They encountered a few weak monsters, which the Valkyrie easily extinguished. As the sky lightened, the small group found a suitable clearing to take a rest in.

Alicia sat against a tree stump, inhaling a deep breath of the fresh morning air. Lezard joined her, while Silmeria scanned the area around the clearing to make sure they were safe.

“I'm exhausted,” sighed Alicia.

“Of course. One of the side effects of your memories returning,” mumbled Lezard next to her. He stretched and found a nice soft spot of grass to lie back on. “Honestly, I'm surprised you had enough energy to make it this far.”

“Adrenaline, I guess,” mused the former princess.

Silmeria returned to the clearing. “We are safe for now.”

“Safe from what exactly?” questioned Lezard curiously. 

The regal Valkyrie looked into the sky. “To be honest, I'm not sure. There was a surge of energy last night in Coriander that I was sure Lezard had caused. But as you both verified, he only cast one spell. That fire was caused by another spell.” Lezard shifted uncomfortably on the ground. “I think it is more than just coincidence that you both remember your former lives and suddenly there is an attack upon your home. It is better to stay hidden for now.”

“It's not like there is anything to go back to anyway,” said Alicia sadly. “Neither of us had family left in Coriander, and all of our friends have been married and moved to different towns.”

Silmeria sat on the ground next to Alicia. A long period of silence passed among the trio, each person absorbed in his or her own thoughts. 

“I never really got a chance to greet you again,” Alicia informed Silmeria. A tired smile passed over her lips. “I'm so happy to see you again.”

“As am I.” Silmeria gazed into her the mirror of her former self. “Perhaps I should not say this, but I am glad that you remembered the past, Alicia. I think you deserve to know of the bravery you demonstrated and how you saved us all.”

Alicia's cheek's flushed. “I couldn't have done it without you, Silmeria.”

Lezard grew incredibly uncomfortable at this reference to his own past life. He almost felt... guilty. He had let his infatuation for Lenneth overtake him. The infatuation grew into obsession, and it blinded him, deluding him into believing having the power of Odin would make the Valkyrie fall in love with him. He had been completely wrong. She met him in the tower, disgusted that he had toyed with so many lives just to satisfy his lust for her. Desperate, Lezard performed the Soverign's Rite, sparing Lenneth only to absorb her. In his deluded mind, he could be one with her then. Clarity finally came to him in death, when he realized the words of the Valkyrie were true, that nothing could rule another person's heart.

When Silmeria reminded him of those words after he attacked Alicia's reincarnation, Lezard found himself completely humiliated. Until then, he'd forgotten about his defeat, blinded by jealousy and anger at Alicia for taking Lenneth from him. How could he have been so stupid? Josef had known love could only be freely given, he just had no interest in it. His love was magic. But when he remembered that he was Lezard, the anger blinded Josef from what he had learned in his short time on Midgard.

“Silmeria, what happened after we disappeared?” inquired Alicia. 

The golden-haired Valkyrie sighed. “So much has happened in such a short time, Alicia. Brahms stayed in Lezard's world, so that he could die. Somehow, he became mortal in the new world. Arngrim became keeper of the Dragon Orb. I'm not sure where he resides now. He does not stay in one place for very long.”

“And Rufus...?” Alicia held her breath, waiting for the Valkyrie's reply.

“Rufus took Gungir back to Asgard and has taken Odin's place.”

Alicia's eyes grew wide. “So he did it. He became a God!”

“Yes. Not everyone was happy with that, but Asgard was in desperate need of order restoration,” Silmeria threw an angry glance in Lezard's direction. “The gods needed a leader, and Rufus had Gungir. He did not encounter much resistance.”

Lezard rolled onto his side pushed himself up. He assumed a kneeling position before Silmeria. “Lady Silmeria, I know that I did horrible things in the past. I was drunk on power and blinded with lust. When I died, the Valkyrie told me that I would pay for my sins with my soul. Considering that, I don't really know why I was allowed to be reborn.” Silmeria snorted in agreement. “If I must live, I do not want to be a hated man, especially by your sister. I would like to find a way to do penance for my atrocities to Asgard.”

Alicia looked to Lezard in shock. So he truly did want to make up for what he had done! She had only suggested that to him before so that it would convince him to perform the spell of release on her. 

“I am happy to see you repent, Lezard,” Silmeria smirked. “However, do not think you have earned my trust yet. You are going to have to work very hard if you wish to earn that. And I assure you, without my trust, you will never have any hope of any god forgiving you.”

“I am prepared to work tirelessly to earn some forgiveness,” the former necromancer replied.

“Good. Now, I think our first order of business is to get you mortals some sustenance and some new clothing. We cannot have you running around Midgard in your pajamas.”

Alicia went pink upon the realization she still had on her light cotton nightgown under her hooded robe. “I...I think that would be a good idea!” she replied in a high pitched voice.


	9. Preparations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trio arrives in Villnore and makes preparations to travel.

It was around midday when they entered Villnore. Silmeria insisted that they visit the small clothing shop first. She had managed to obtain a few items of value from the monsters she cut down in the forest.

Alicia had been more than happy to change into the simple deep blue dress she had purchased with the OTH Silmeria gave her. It was short enough to be functional in battle, but long enough to be modest. Feeling it was best to blend in with the mortals, Silmeria chose to purchase a knee-length lavender dress. Lezard had opted for a flashier outfit, making himself look more like a true royal mage. 

The trio headed to the local inn for a hot meal. Alicia was starving, in desperate need of some energy. She had hardly had a chance to rest and refresh herself after the events of the previous night. Silmeria also noted the fatigue in the magician. _Ah I have forgotten how quickly mortals tire out_ she thought to herself. A bar wench brought a steaming hot plate of vegetables and some meat for each of them. Lezard and Alicia tore ravenously into their food while Silmeria ate slowly, unaccustomed to the need for food.

After a few minutes, the disguised Valkyrie cleared her throat. “I think it would be best if we stayed in the inn and got some rest tonight. We are safe for the time being. The two of you will need to rejuvenate yourselves. I believe we will have quite the journey ahead of us.”

“Hrow crome?” choked Lezard through the food in his mouth.

Silmeria smirked. “You realize that you are quite the wanted man in Asgard. When word gets out that you've been restored to your former self, I do believe some bloodthirsty gods will come after you.” The former necromancer blanched at her words and dropped his fork. She let out a smug chuckle. “Of course, there is another reason that we will need to stay on the move. I sense an evil presence on Midgard.” The Valkyrie's smile faded. “I cannot help but shake the feeling that it is tracking the two of you.”

Now it was Alicia's turn to pale. “Who would be after us?”

Silmeria flicked her hand as if to brush the topic away. “Do not concern yourself with that at the moment. You deserve some time to relax and rest. I will go pay the innkeeper for two rooms for the night. If you don't mind Alicia, I'd like to stay with you.”

“Of course! I would like that very much Silmeria!” Alicia was thrilled to think of the Valkyrie staying with her. Silmeria was almost a soulmate to Alicia. She had shared in Alicia's joy and pain during her previous life. There was so much she wanted to discuss with the battle maiden. Maybe tonight would not be so restful after all.

As the Valkyrie left the table to go make arrangements, Lezard pushed his plate away. “Suddenly I don't have much of an appetite,” he stated as a tint of green came to his face.

Alicia's eyes widened. “Are you okay?”

Lezard held his head up with his hands. “I think so. Anxiety never did help me to eat.”

“Who do you think Silmeria is talking about?” Alicia's voice wavered. 

“I can think of hundreds of people and gods who would come after me, but no one who would threaten you,” Lezard held his stomach. “It's funny. I never feared anyone when I opposed the gods, but now that I have committed myself to making amends, I feel much more protective of my life.”

Alicia gave him a small smile. “It's because now you have something to live for.”

Silmeria returned to their table. She placed a key in front of Lezard and kept one in her hand. “Lezard, do you require medical attention?”

“No, no, Lady Silmeria. I think I just need to lie down.”

“Very well. You may go to your room whenever you please.” She handed him some OTH. “For any supplies you may need. We leave just after dawn. Please get what you need in the meantime.”

“Thanks...” he stumbled out as he rose to unsteady feet. “I'll just rest for a bit.” He headed up the stairs to his room.

“I'd like to go put my things in our room, and then I will be ready to gather provisions,” Alicia stated.

“That sounds like a good idea,” replied her companion.


	10. Lurking in the Shadows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Silmeria and Alicia catch up while a threat lurks in the shadows.

Freya mindlessly turned a flower in her hand. The meadow of Asgard calmed her spirit. The fertility goddess sat in her favorite spot under a tree full of cherry blossoms. 

She wondered if anyone else had sensed it. The huge surge of dark energy from Midgard resonated in her mind. The energy was gone now, but its very existence unnerved her. Only an extremely powerful human would have been able to conjure so much energy. Silmeria had not returned with Lezard's head, so she could safely assume the user had not been the sorcerer.

Could the undead be amassing an army? That didn't make any sense. The undead and the gods had tolerated each other since Rufus' ascension of the throne. The death of Brahms had upset many in the world of the undead, but when they had heard of how the new king of the gods had helped save their world alongside their Lord, they had agreed to maintain peace with Asgard. Surely they had no reason to be scouting Midgard for soldiers.

What else could have caused that dark energy? The question taunted her inquisitive mind, laughing at her for not having an answer. 

Freya sighed and leaned back to look up into the tree. The sunlight burst through the lush branches, creating a scene of peace above her. The goddess smirked at the irony. 

* * *

The quiet room at the inn burst into life as the young woman and her Valkyrie companion returned from shopping. They had purchased a few emergency supplies, enough food for rations for a month, and a couple of spare articles of clothing. Alicia dumped the contents on her bed while Silmeria began neatly packing the supplies into their bags.

“It’s been so long since I prepared for a journey of any sort,” Alicia commented. 

“Indeed.” Silmeria folded a small blanket before stuffing it into her bag. “It’s kind of fun, actually. I just wish our journey had a happier purpose. I suppose our last one began out of necessity for staying alive as well.”

Alicia made a noise in agreement. She wished the Valkyrie would tell her more about what it was they were running from, but she knew it was pointless to argue. Silmeria insisted that Alicia rest up before she had to worry about the problem. The former princess handed Silmeria a bag of bread to place among their other provisions.

“Hey Silmeria…” began Alicia. “How is everyone in Asgard?” She idly picked up the falchion she had purchased and inspected the blade for a third time since leaving the armory.

“Well, Freya is pretty much the same. She can be a bit hot tempered at times, but all in all I think she has accepted the changed quite well. Hrist and Lenneth are well…”

Alicia allowed the sword to dip and rest on the bed as her eyes widened. “All three of you are incarnated? I thought it was forbidden for you to exist at the same time.”

“Under Odin’s rule, it was forbidden for two of us to exist upon Midgard at the same time. Even now, I am the only Valkyrie on Midgard. But if it were necessary to send Hrist or Lenneth to Midgard, I believe Rufus would allow it. He has changed many things. He did not see any need for two of us to sleep while there was so much work to be done in repairing the realms. Almost everything in Midgard and Asgard is back to normal, but there are still plenty of jobs for us to do. My job is to watch over Midgard as well as gather Einherjar. Hrist commands the Einherjar army and trains the new souls that are gathered. Lenneth tends to the other realms and helps with various duties. Upon her rebirth, she was assigned to restabalize the Seraphic Gate. It had sustained major damage when part of Asgard crumbled into Midgard before we defeated Lezard.”

“So basically, you go where you are needed.”

“Yes, to summarize it, Rufus sends us where we are needed.”

“How – is he doing well?” Her cheeks turned pink as she asked the question.

“Well, for the most part, yes. He would never admit it, but he was incredibly overwhelmed at first. Freya fought him viscously, and even though she accepted him as the new King of the Gods, she treated him horribly. Shortly after I awakened, they had a huge argument in the Hall of Valhalla. No one really knows what happened during the argument, but ever since it occurred, it was almost like they found common ground. They had some respect for each other.”

Alicia nervously busied her hands with bundling some vegetables. “Why did he only come to see me the one time when I was little? I would have thought he would want me to remember…”

“Rufus made us all swear not to intervene in your life.”

Alicia whirled on Silmeria at this. “Why? He wanted me to forget everything? To forget all of my friends and abandon them?”

“Alicia… we all agreed it was for the best. You died so that this world could continue to exist. Rufus insisted you should be allowed to live the peaceful life you worked so hard for.” Silmeria cast a solemn look down at her bag. “He worked hard to make this world a peaceful place. You were the reason for that. He wanted to make sure you grew up happy, away from the gore of battle, away from the pain that your previous life had brought you.”

“I still had pain though!” cried Alicia. “My mother died after I was born! My father hated me for it and deserted me in the end. I was still alone! I have still been denied that peace!” The girl let out a loud wail and crumpled to the ground. “He left me alone too. He didn’t want anyone to make me remember.” The sobs made her body tremble.

Silmeria bent down and placed a hand on Alicia’s shoulder. “No. It wasn’t like that Alicia. You have no idea how badly he misses you. He does not talk about it to anyone, not even me. But I’ve heard him in his room. I saw the pain on his face when he ordered us not to interfere in your life.” Alicia’s sobs quieted as Silmeria embraced her in a gentle hug. “He still wears the Ring of Mylinn, you know. I’ve seen him kiss the ring on occasion.”

“Really?” sniffled Alicia. The Valkyrie nodded. “I want to go see him…”

“We need to get you safe first. Then I promise, we will try to find a way.”

* * *

The darkness in the Tungen Mines stretched on for miles. The magician found it to be a welcoming place for him to rest. Bright light hurt his eyes, and he enjoyed the mystery that darkness brought.

Setting Coriander on fire had merely been a message to the gods. It was convenient that the pathetic wizard had regained his memories. Surely the gods would suspect him and destroy him. Lezard may be given the credit for his work, but in time the gods would come to realize that they had been mistaken about the cause of the fire.

The magician removed the black hood of his cape. His silver hair reflected the dim light given off by the small torches on the walls. The man sat on the floor, placing a small glass bowl filled with clear liquid in front of him. He murmured a few words, and an image appeared on the clear liquid.

 _Damn_ he thought to himself. _That pathetic wizard managed to free the memories of that princess._ It would not be such a problem to extinguish her meaningless life, but her regained memories had also brought Silmeria to her side. He was not yet strong enough to face a Valkyrie.

 _No matter_ thought the magician. _The gods will know that I am here and that I live again. They will pay for their sins._

**Author's Note:**

> This story is one of the first fanfics I ever wrote. It was originally posted on FF.net, but since I'm more active here, I'm uploading my content to this site. 
> 
> I feel like I've improved a lot as a writer since this story was written, so I'm doing a lot of cringing rereading this. I'm going to try and edit out some of the parts that embarrass me, but the story will stay intact.
> 
> I hope you enjoy!


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